Life's Hard
by westernlove
Summary: The Curtis's are going through some tough times and they'll have to rely on the gang for some help. Rated T for safety. Johnny and Dally are alive although this is after the events of the book.
1. Chapter 1

**For those of you who are following my story Pastless, I am sorry that i started this one without finishing that one, but i will still upload. Please enjoy, and review!**

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Pony's POV

Johnny and I were walking home from school when the trouble started. I heard honking from behind and I glanced over my shoulder to see a fancy car following us. My heart dropped into my feet. Oh-no! I shot a look at Johnny. He looked scared. His eyes were wide and were focused on the distance, but he played it cool, hooking his thumbs in his pockets and striding down the sidewalk. Honestly I didn't know how he could keep his cool at a time like this. My heart was hammering and I was started to sweat. I knew we were gonna get jumped.

The convertible pulled up next to us and five socs jumped out. Johnny and I took of running. We weren't fast enough. I was tackled from behind and I hit the ground, hard. My face slid along the sidewalk and I could feel warm blood dripping from my lips. Johnny let out a yelp. I was rolled over on my back and then flung against a wall. Johnny landed right next to me. The socs were laughing and all I could do was sit there like well…a sitting duck. One of them pulled a blade and ran the tip along my cheek, slicing it. I cried out as moor blood dripped from my face. Next to me I could hear Johnny getting his insides beat out. I started screaming and was rewarded with a couple of slugs to the jaw.

"Shut up!" one shouted in my face.

When I didn't stop I got another punch to the face and then felt the biting steel of the blade sink into my side. I yelled even louder as hot pain flared up my body. I guess the socs were satisfied cause they took off running. I sank to the ground and lay on the sidewalk, bleeding from my face and side. Johnny's face appeared above me. A dark bruise was already growing under his left eye and he was a little cut up. He looked worried. Why was he worried? Oh yeah, I was bleeding, I remember now.

"Pony? Pony can you hear me?" he shouted.

"I can hear ya, Johnny, now quit shouting," I snapped.

I was already bruised and cut and now he was gonna make me go deaf. This was not my day. Johnny reached over and set a hand over my wound. I yelped and tried to scoot away from him.

"Ow! Quit that Johnny!" I exclaimed.

"Come on, Pony, we gotta get ya to a hospital, you need stitches or something," Johnny said.

I shook my head. "No, no hospitals."  
For one thing, I hated hospitals. They stuck me with needles and hooked me up to tubes and the doctors scared the heck outta me. And second, Darry didn't have the money for that. He already had enough to worry about without having to pay for hospital bills.

"Well then at least let me get Steve to patch ya up, he's good at stitches," Johnny told me.

I shook my head again. "Steve wouldn't tell Soda and then Soda would tell Darry and then Darry would make me go to the hospital."

"Well you can't just lay here and bleed to death!"

I turned my head towards him. His eyes were big and his eyebrows were scrunched in a frown.

"You gotta do it," I said.

Instantly Johnny went pale. His eyes grew even wider and his mouth opened in a silent stammer. Finally he got his words out.

"I-I can't do it Pony," he gasped, "I'd do something wrong, I just know I would."

"Johnny please," I begged, "I don't want to worry Darry, just stitch it up. Soda and Darry are at work so we can do it at my house."

Johnny was still looking pale but he exhaled slowly and nodded.

"Alright, Pone," he said.

He helped me up and the minute I was on my feet the world started to spin. I was lightheaded and my side was screaming in protest. I shook my head and let out a breath. Johnny helped me stagger back to my house and then I fell back on the couch. I was seriously dizzy now and I just wish someone would hold the room still.

"Pony, where's the needle and thread," Johnny demanded.

"Darry's bed," I mumbled.

Johnny came back moments later with a first-aid kick, a needle and thread, and a bottle of alcohol. I swallowed hard. Darry had only stitched me up once before, but I can tell you it hurt like nothing I had ever felt.

Johnny was biting his lip and his hands were shaking. Great, if he didn't calm down I was bound to end up looking like a pin cushion. Johnny knelt down beside me and lifted up my shirt, grimacing at the sight. He looked up at me with sorry eyes.

"This is gonna hurt, Pony," he warned.

I nodded. "Just get it over with."

Johnny helped me onto the floor and then placed a towel beneath me. I didn't see why, I already got blood stains on the couch. Johnny uncapped the alcohol and I turned my face away, not wanted to see when he was gonna do it. Pain shot up my body the instant the liquid connected with the gash. I screamed and arched my back, trying to move away, but Johnny sat down on my legs, keeping me in place. When he finished with the alcohol I slumped back, panting and sweating.

Johnny cleaned off the needle and then started stitching up my side. Since I was pretty much numb with pain, this part wasn't so bad. When my buddy was done he bandaged the wound and then got off of me. I looked up at him.

"Thanks Johnny, but next time I ask you to stitch me up, just say no," I panted.

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**Okay, I know it totally sucked and I'm sorry for that. It was also kinda random, so as the story goes I'll try and make it not so random. Suggestions are accepted and thanks for reading. Please R&R.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two. Thanks for the reviews guys, but unless I can get at least three reviews, I don't think I'll continue this story. It's not a threat, I just need to know if you guys like it or not, so please, please review!**

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Soda's POV

Darry had failed to pick me up again so I was stuck walking home. Honestly, I loved Darry, but he needs to stop forgetting to pick me up. I finally got home, but Darry's truck wasn't out front. Huh, that was weird. I shrugged it off and went inside. As soon as I stepped through the door I knew something wasn't right. It's just this feeling in my gut that I get when something's wrong.

"Pony?" I called.

There was no answer. I started to panic for a minute. I ran into mine and pony's bedroom and sighed in relief. Pony was sleeping on the bed. I sat down on the edge of the bed and patted his shoulder. He moaned and rolled over, blinking his eyes open.

"Hey Soda," he said.

"Hey pal, a little early to be sleeping aint it?" I asked.

That's when I noticed his face. It was all bruised and a long cut stretched from his left ear to his jaw.

"Pony, what happened to you?" I demanded, grabbing his shoulder and jerking him up.

He yelped and I let go. Pony fell back onto the pillows, panting hard. I stared at him. How could I have hurt him? I barely even touched him. Was he hurt anywhere else? I let out a slow breath and brushed Pony's hair outta his face.

"Pony, what happened?" I asked softly.

"Johnny and I got jumped after school," he mumbled.

Rage boiled in my blood and I clenched my hands into fists.

"You what?" I shouted.

"We got jumped," he repeated.

I got off the bed and stormed outta the room. No stinking soc was gonna jumped my brother! Pony chased after me.

"Soda wait, don't make no more trouble," he begged.

I spun around and faced him, fury in my eyes. I was clenching and unclenching my fists and I was doing my best to control my temper.

"No more trouble? Pony, look what they did to your face! You're lucky you didn't get seriously injured!" I exclaimed.

Pony got this look on his face and I immediately knew that he was hiding something. Pony was a lousy liar and lousy at hiding things. I placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Ponyboy, now you tell me the truth, did they hurt ya anywhere else?" I asked as calmly as I could.

Pony looked away and shook his head. He was lying, I knew he was. I was getting even angry by the minute. I took hold of Pony's other shoulder and shook him a little.

"Pony, tell me the truth!"

He looked back at me and I saw tears streaming down his cheeks. I immediately regretted what I had done. I sighed and pushed his hair back.

"I'm sorry Pony," I said, "I just don't want to see ya get hurt."

"I'm fine Soda," he sniffled.

I let go of his shoulder and he turned and walked back to our room. I could hear him crying and it broke my heart. I just hated to see him get hurt.

I heard the door open and I spun around to see Darry walk in. He fell onto the couch and ran a hand over his face.

"Long day?" I asked.

He nodded and then frowned. I saw what he was looking at. Blood stained the couch in splotches. He stood up and gave me a harsh look.

"Sodapop what happened?" he demanded.

"Pony and Johnny got jumped after school, I guess Johnny must have gotten in pretty good cause Pony's face is just a little cut up," I told him.

I didn't mention that fact that Pony was hiding something from me. I knew that Darry was just too tired to deal with that right now.

"Where is he?" Darry asked.

I nodded towards the bedroom. Darry walked that way and I followed him. Pony was on the bed again, burring him face in a pillow. Darry sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed Pony's back.

"Hey Pone, you alright?" he asked.

Pony lifted his head from the pillow and nodded.

"I'm fine Darry," he answered.

"Let me see your face," Darry ordered.

Ponyboy sat up and let Darry check over his cuts and bruises. He told us that Johnny had already cleaned em so we didn't have to worry.

"Hey Pony, was Johnny hurt bad?" I asked.

Pony shook his head. "No."

"Then where did those bloodstains on the couch come from?" Darry demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Pony's mouth hung open in a wordless stammer before he got his voice back.

"Well uh…my face was bleeding pretty bad before ah….before Johnny help me stop the bleeding," he stuttered.

I didn't believe him and I knew Darry didn't either. The kid was hiding something. Darry opened his mouth to speak when we heard the door slam shut. We all got up and went into the family room to find Two-Bit, Steve, Dally, and Johnny in the room.

"Did you hear about what happened to the kids?" Dally demanded.

"Yeah, we heard," Darry answered.

"Well I say we go find them socs and beat the heck outta them," Two-Bit howled.

"I say we rumble," Dally said.

Us Greasers were always getting jumped, but we had never rumbled over it. Why was Dally so mad? I knew that Johnny was his pet and all, but we didn't even rumble when Johnny had gotten beat up that one time. Maybe Dally just wanted to fight.

"Yeah, let's rumble!" Steve joined in.

"Just shut up!" Darry yelled, "We aint gonna rumble, now just cool off."

It took a few minutes, but soon we were all sitting in front of the TV watching Mickey Mouse and eating cake.

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**Sorry it wasn't that good, but I'm working on the book that I'm gonna publish and my brains just shot. Please review and I'll see if I'm gonna continue this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three. Hope you like it. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been working on a book for my publisher. Please review, cause I want to know what you think.**

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Darry's POV

The gang had gone home and it was dark outside. Pony had fallen asleep on the couch and Soda was in the kitchen cooking up something. I really didn't want to know what. I patted Pony's shoulder and his eyes fluttered open. He looked up at me and rubbed his eyes

"Hey Dar," he yawned.

"Hey little buddy, how ya doing?" I asked.

He sat up and pushed back his hair. He looked a little pale. I put my hand on his forehead. He didn't feel warm.

"I ain't sick Darry," he told me, pushing my hand away.

I sat down next to him and slapped his knee, like my dad used to do. He didn't look at me.

"Pony, what aren't you telling me what's wrong?" I asked him.

"I'm gonna go to bed," he said.

He stood up and started to walk off. I grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.

"Pony, tell me," I said.

"It ain't nothing!" he snapped.

He jerked is arm away and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him. I shook my head and sighed. Soda came into the room, a skillet in hand.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Pony's hiding something and I don't like it," I said.

"Darry just let it be for now. Pony will tell us when he's ready."

I nodded. "I hope so."

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Pony's POV

I was mad, I was really mad. I just wish Darry would quit pestering me. There was no way I was gonna tell him about the socs cutting me up. The bruises were one thing, but if Darry knew I had gotten cut then he would make me go to the hospital and I knew that we didn't have the money for that.

I found Johnny in the lot and I slid down next to him. He was puffing on a cigarette. He glanced over at me and then passed me the smoke.

"Here Pony, you don't look so good," he told me.

I gratefully took it and blew out a puff of smoke. A cold wind drifted through and I shivered.

"What happened Pony?" Johnny asked.

"Aw, Darry was pestering me about what happened," I told him, "He knows I'm hiding something."

"Why don't you just tell him?"

"Cause I don't want him to worry."

"He's gonna find out sooner or later."

"No he won't, not as long as you keep your trap shut Johnny Cade."

"I ain't gonna say nothing."

I sat back against a dumpster and puffed on the cigarette. I wrapped my arms around my body, trying to keep out the cold wind. I was starting to feel crummy and I didn't know why. My head was aching pretty bad. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"You okay, Pony?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, just tired," I answered.

"Maybe you should go home."

"Naw, I think I'll just rest my eyes for a minute, I'll go home in a little while."

I rested my head against the dumpster and closed my eyes, letting the cigarette fall from my hand. I was awful tired. Before long I was fast asleep.

I woke up some time later. It was really cold and I was shivering uncontrollably. Johnny was asleep next to me. I nudge him and his eyes fluttered open. He looked at me.

"Hey Johnny, I'm gonna go home now, you wanna come?" I asked.

"Naw, I'll just crash here for the night," he told me.

"Alright."

I slowly got up and stumbled back to my house. I yawned and walked up the front steps. I went inside, preparing myself for Darry to chew me out. Surprisingly the house was dark and no one was waiting up. I shook my head and staggered to my room. Soda was snoring loudly and I did my best not to wake him. I stripped down to a T-shirt and my boxers and then carefully climbed under the covers. I lay there for a while before finally surrendering to the drowsiness.

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**Yeah I know, it totally sucked, and I'm very sorry about that. I've been really busy working on my book and I didn't put much time into this. Please review anyways because I've noticed there are a lot more hits then reviews and that makes me sad. Alright I'll try and update sooner next time.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, I promise this chapter will be longer. Thanks for the reviews; you're the ones who make this story.**

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Soda's POV

I woke up with one arm draped over Pony. Good, I was afraid that he might not have come home last night. He was still sleeping so I was careful when I rolled outta the bed. I got dressed and then walked out to the kitchen. It was Saturday so I didn't have to worry about work or anything.

Darry was standing with a skillet in hand. He looked over his shoulder at me.

"Hey Sodapop, did Pony come home last night?" he asked, sounding a little concerned.

"Yeah," I said, "he's sleeping."

"I gotta go to work today so keep an eye on him," Darry told him.

"Sure thing."

Just then I heard the door open and it slammed shut.

"Anyone home?" came Two-Bit's voice.

He came prancing into the kitchen, his usual reckless grin plastered on his face. He ran into the table, knocking over a glass that crashed to the ground and shattered.

"Two-Bit keep it down, Pony's still sleeping," I scolded.

"Not anymore."

I looked behind me to see Pony leaning against the doorway. He looked terrible. His devilish hair was hanging in his face, he was pale and his eyes were dull.

"Sorry 'bout that Pony," Two-Bit said, although he didn't sound too sorry.

Pony shrugged and slid into a chair. Darry cleaned up the broken glass and then served up breakfast. Two-Bit took a chocolate cake outta the ice box and went into the living room.

"Hey Pony, hand me the jelly," I told him.

Pony passed me the grape jelly and I plopped a big glob on my eggs. We stayed silent while we ate, that was a little unusual. I eyes Pony. He wasn't eating, just picking at his food. I decided to ignore it. He was probably just tired. After we finished eating I helped Darry with dishes.

"I gotta get to work," Darry said, "Pony take some aspirins, you don't look too hot."

"Sure Darry," Pony said.

Darry walked out the door leaving me and Pony alone. Oh yeah, Two-Bit was still in the living room, but he didn't count. Ponyboy walked into the living room and fell onto the couch. I took the opportunity to jump on him. We rolled onto the floor and rammed into Two-Bit who dropped his cake and protested. I was surprised that Pony wasn't putting up much of a fight. Usual he would kick and punch and do everything to get me off of him, today he was fighting halfheartedly. I stopped and looked at his face.

"Darry's right, you don't look too hot," I said, "Go take some aspirins and go back to bed."

My baby brother didn't protest. He got off the floor and walked, well stumbled, back to our bedroom. He must have been coming down with something. I shrugged it off and joined Two-Bit on the floor. He was watching Mickey Mouse, big surprise.

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Pony's POV

I felt lousy. I must have been coming down with the flu or something cause my head was aching, I felt cold and I was afraid I was gonna upchuck. That little tussle with Soda didn't do me any good. When we had landed on the ground my injured side hit first and it had taken all of my willpower not to cry out.

I heard Two-Bit howl with laughter and I groaned, turning over on my stomach and burying my head under a pillow. This sucked. I already took four aspirins, but my head was still pounding. I slid off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. I grabbed the bottle off the counter and dumped three more pills into my hand. I tossed them in my mouth and swallowed them dry before sluggishly going back to my room. I fell asleep almost instantly.

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Soda's POV

I was trying to keep Two-Bit quiet, but that's like trying to take a shark outta water. He was whooping and hollering and frankly I was about ready to club him over the head with a baseball bat.

"Two-Bit would you keep it down?" I demanded, "Pony ain't feeling good and he's trying to sleep."

"Well I ain't stopping him," Two-Bit laughed.

He was drunk. I could tell by the way he was acting, that and the fact that I could smell stale beer on his breath.

"That's it Two-Bit!"

I got up and grabbed Two-Bit by the collar of his shirt. He was laughing the whole time.

"Aw come on Soda, don't be like that!" he hollered.

I got him to his feet and shoved him out the door. He was laughing as he stumbled down the steps. I rolled my eyes. Idiot. I went back in the house and checked on Pony. He was sleeping. I let out a breath and walked into the living room, falling onto the couch.

The rest of the day was normal. Pony eventually woke up and came out to watch a little TV, but he didn't say much. I decided not to press him.

Darry came home a little later then usual and I could tell there was something wrong by the grim expression on his face.

"Darry what's wrong?" I demanded, jumping up from my seat.

"Where's Pony?" Darry asked.

"Sleeping, why? Darry what's wrong?"

"Sodapop go get him, this concerns all of us."

I didn't like the tone in his voice. Something was defiantly wrong. I walked back to mine and Pony's room and sat down on the edge of the bed. I gave Pony's shoulder a gentle shake. He moaned. I shook him a little harder.

"Pony wake up," I said softly.

My brother's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at me. He blinked and yawned.

"Hey Soda, what's up?" he questioned.

"Darry wants to talk to us," I told him.

Pony slowly climbed out of the bed and followed me into the living room. Darry was sitting in his chair so Pony and I took a seat on the couch. I knew this was not going to be good news. Darry let out a slow breath and looked at us.

"I lost my job today," he said.

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**Dun, Dun, Duuunnnnn! Hey guys, if you review I'll give you a cookie! Yes, I know, I have stooped as low as to bribe you guys :( Oh well. So hope you enjoyed and i did make it a little longer:)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay guys, I destroyed my knee today and the pain killers are taking affect, so I apologize if this totally sucks. I should probably tell you that I take constructive criticism very well…as long as it's about the story and not my poor grammar. Please review. Oh yes I almost forgot…**

**Phoenixx Rising…Here's your cookie! *hands over chocolate chip cookie***

**And for the Guest that reviewed…here's your cookie! *passes a ginger bread man to Guest***

**Alright, now that that's taken care of…on to the story!**

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Darry's POV

I rubbed my rough hands together as I stared at my brothers. They didn't say a word. I couldn't blame them; I had done the same thing when my boss laid me off. Finally Sodapop broke the silence.

"Why?" he demanded, "You're like the biggest and strongest guy there!"

"Yeah, well I got beat out by the boss's nephew, apparently he wants to keep the business in the family," I said.

"What are we gonna do now?" Pony asked quietly.

I reached over and squeezed his knee. Poor kid, this was probably worrying him sick.

"Don't worry, buddy, I'll get another job and then things will get back to normal, I promise," I told him.

"And for right now I can work extra hours at the DX," Soda volunteered.

"Oh no you won't" I said, "I can provide for this family and I will!"

"Jeez Darry, I was just offering, you don't have to bite my head off," Soda flinched.

I exhaled slowly and buried my face in my hands, shaking my head.

"I'm sorry Soda, I guess I'm just a little stressed out," I told him.

"Take it easy Darry," he said, "We'll get through this. We've had tough times before, but it's never stopped us."

I smiled slightly. Leave it to Soda to make everyone feel better. I looked up and ran a hand through my hair.

"I'm gonna go make some dinner, we can worry about this later," I told them.

I got up and went into the kitchen. Ten minutes later I was calling my kid brothers into eat. I set the food on the table and slid into my chair. Soda came bounding into the room and plunked down into his chair.

"Where's Pony?" I asked.

"In our room, said he wasn't hungry," Soda said.

That didn't sound like Ponyboy. Something must be wrong. Pony was always hungry. He must be coming down with something. I got up from my chair and walked into the boy's room. Pony was lying on the bed, curled into a ball. I took a seat on the edge and rubbed his back.

"Hey Pone, you okay?" I asked.

He looked up at me and I could see that his face was pale and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"I'm fine," he croaked.

He didn't sound fine and he didn't look fine either. I pushed his hair back and placed my hand gently on his forehead. He was a little warm. I got up and went into the bathroom, grabbing the thermometer from the shelf. I walked back into the room and sat next to Pony.

"Come on Darry, I'm fine. I don't have a fever," he protested.

"Quit complaining and open up," I commanded.

Pony rolled his eyes and opened his mouth. I slid the thermometer under his tongue and waited a couple of minutes before pulling it out. I glanced down at the numbers. I shook my head.

"100.1; not too high, but defiantly a fever. You stay in bed and I'll bring you something to eat," I told him.

"Not hungry," he mumbled.

"Well you should try and eat something. What is it they say? Starve a cold, feed a fever?" I said.

"I wanna know who 'they' is cause I'm gonna sue," he muttered into the pillow.

I chuckled and mussed his hair.

"I'll be right back," I told him.

I stood up and walked back into the kitchen. Soda had already started stuffing his face with the mashed potatoes and roast beef. He looked up at me, a piece of meat hanging outta his mouth.

"How's Pony?" he asked, not bothering to swallow first.

"He's gotta slight fever, but it's nothing a few days of rest won't cure. I'm gonna dish him up some food before you eat it all."

Soda simply grinned.

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Pony's POV

I didn't want to eat. I knew that if I swallowed the slightest bit of food it would probably just come right back up. I lay on my stomach, my face smashed into the pillow. It was a little hard to breath, but I didn't care, the rest of me was comfortable.

Darry came back a few minutes later with a plate of food. He set it on the nightstand along with a glass of water and a couple of aspirins. I sat up and down the pills and the whole glass of water, but I just stared at the food. Darry rubbed the back of my head.

"Try and eat something Pony," he told me.

And with that he left the room, closing the door behind him. I kept staring at the food in disgust. Just the smell made my stomach churn. I knew that I should at least take a few bites. I needed to keep my strength up so I could fight of whatever was making me sick. I grabbed the plate and set it on my lap, looking down at the steaming food. I took the fork and poked at the roast beef for a few moments before decided that the mash potatoes would probably go easier on my stomach. I shoved a small amount in my mouth and swallowed hard. The moment it hit my stomach I knew I was going to be sorry later. I wasn't going to puke no, but who knows what could happen later on.

I took a few more bites before placing the plate back on the nightstand. I slowly got up from the bed and stripped down to my boxers. I climbed under the covers and placed my head on the pillow. I must have dosed off, cause the next thing I knew Soda was crawling in bed with me. He draped his arm over my shoulder.

"Hey Ponyboy, feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah," I lied.

"Liar," he whispered in my ear.

I nodded with a small grin. I was a terrible liar, absolutely terrible. Oh well. I yawned and snuggled closer to Soda. My eyelids drooped and I let myself fall into darkness.

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**Soooo….what'd ya think? Please review! They mean so much to me and I fell like nobody's telling me what they think about it. I have so many hits, but like no reviews *makes pouty face and crosses arms over chest* Review, review, review and I will update soon**!


	6. Chapter 6

***Makes pouty face* only one person reviewed and yet I got like 200 views, what is this madness?! You're making the gang sad, right guys?**

**Soda: Yes, very sad.**

**Pony: I'm sick and you couldn't even review for me!**

**Darry: I lost my job and no one cared.**

**Two-Bit: *shrugs* Eh.**

**Me: Two-Bit, not helping!**

**So anyways, enjoy the story and review!**

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Soda's POV

I woke up to the sound of someone puking. I sat up and looked around. It was still dark outside. I got out of the bed and raced into the bathroom to find Pony leaning over the toilet, puking his guts out. I knelt down next to him and rubbed his back while he emptied the contents of his stomach. When he was done he looked up at me weakly, his arms shaking as he held himself up.

"S-Soda," he croaked shakily.

"I'm here baby," I whispered.

"Thirst," he rasped.

I got up and ran into the kitchen, filling a glass with cold water. I went back into the bathroom to find Pony hunched over the toilet once more, dry heaving. There was probably nothing left in his stomach. A few moments later he sat back shakily and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. I handed him the water and he gratefully took it, swishing the liquid around in his mouth before spitting into the toilet again. He then downed the glass of cool water. I squeezed the back of his neck.

"You okay buddy?" I asked softly.

"Soda, can I just sleep in here?" he said.

I cracked a smile and smoothed back his hair, feeling his forehead in the process. Warm, but not burning.

"Come on, let me take your temperature and then I'll help you back to bed," I told him.

I reached over and flushed the toilet. Pony looked away so that he wouldn't have to watch his vomit swirl away. I closed the lid and sat Pony down. After I had grabbed the thermometer I stuck it under his tongue. Surprisingly he didn't protest. A few moments later I pulled it out.

"100.5," I inquired, "Don't worry Pony, probably just the flu or something."

"Can I go back to bed now?" he questioned.

"Yup."

I grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet. I helped him stagger back into our room and then I laid him on the bed. He sighed and buried himself under the covers. I just hoped that he didn't puke while he was under there cause I wasn't in the mood to get half-digested meatloaf on my feet. I got into the bed beside him and lay back on my pillows, closing my eyes. Man was I tired. I drifted off to sleep within seconds.

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Darry's POV

I woke up to rays of golden light drifting in through my window. I rolled over on my back and blinked to clear my foggy vision. I pushed into a sitting position and slowly rolled myself outta the bed. I was still tired, but no matter. I was gonna spend the whole day looking for a job. Oh shoot! Soda has to work today and Pony's sick. Maybe I could get one of the gang to watch him for the day.

I ran a hand through my dark hair and quickly got dressed. I walked out to the kitchen and started cooking breakfast. Pony came out a few minutes later. He was still only dressed in his boxers and his eyes were droopy. He sluggishly made his way across the floor, dragging a pillow along with him.

"Hey Pony, what're you doing outta bed?" I demanded.

"Soda's being too loud, I'm gonna sleep out here," he muttered.

I watched him as he slowly fell onto the couch, tucking the pillow under his head. Poor kid. He didn't look good at all. I sure hated to leave him, but I needed to find a job. I turned my attention back to the eggs that were starting to burn.

I had just served up the food when Soda came outta the room, hopping on one foot as he tugged his pants on. I cocked an eyebrow at my kid brother. He just grinned widely.

"Sit down and eat," I ordered.

"Yes sir!" Soda saluted.

I smacked him upside the head on my way to check on Ponyboy. I knelt down beside my baby brother and stroked his hair.

"Hey baby, wanna go back to your room? Soda's done in there," I told him gently.

Pony shook his head. "Naw, I think I'll just stay here for awhile."

That's when Two-Bit, Steve, Dally, and Johnny came bursting into the house. Pony groaned and turned over on his stomach.

"Hello, hello, hello!" Two-Bit sang.

"Two-Bit, can't you see that Pony's sick? Keep it down!" I snapped.

"Sorry!" Two-Bit hissed.

Soda came into the room and sat down on the arm of the couch, patting Pony's shoulder.

"Ready to go Soda?" Steve asked.

"Yeah sure, I just don't feel right about leaving Pony alone," he said.

"Hey Darry how 'bout you take the day off work and stay?" Two-Bit suggested.

Oh yeah. The gang didn't know about me loosing my job. I guess now would be a good time to tell em.

"I lost my job yesterday," I told them, "I can't stay home I need to get a job."

Two-Bit winced. "Sorry Darry."

I shrugged. Although this might be a big deal I didn't want the guys to know that I was stressing out over it.

"Anyway we can help?" Johnny asked quietly.

"Yeah, the three of you can stay with Ponyboy today," I said, indicating to Two-Bit, Dally, and Johnny.

"Sure, got nothing better to do," Dally said with a shrug.

"Course I'll stay. Pony and I'll have a good ol' time, right Pony?" Two-Bit said.

Pony replied with a soft moan. Two-Bit grinned and gestured to the kid.

"See, he's excited already!"

"I'll stay Darry," Johnny said.

I was convinced that Pony was gonna be in good hands. That is, as long as Two-Bit controls himself and doesn't end up accidentally beating the heck outta my brother. Aw, Dally would make sure that Two-Bit stayed in line.

"Alright, just make sure he eats something and give him plenty of aspirin," I said.

I grabbed the keys to my truck and walked out the door with Soda and Steve right behind me. I could already tell that this was going to be a very long day.

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**End scene. Yeah, I know, no cliffhanger…how sad oh well. So once again please review! Do it for Ponyboy cause he's sick!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven! Yay, we're moving right along.**

**Soda: Do I get a girlfriend?**

**Me: No.**

**Pony: Does something happen to me?**

**Me: Yes.**

**Darry: Is this chapter gonna be awesome?**

**Me: Probably.**

***Speaks in a dramatic voice* onto the story!**

* * *

Pony's POV

I didn't mind being left alone with Dally and Johnny, but Two-Bit was another story. He was loud and annoying. I was lying on the couch, hiding under a blanket. Two-Bit had tuned on the TV and was laughing like a lunatic. I rolled over on my stomach and buried my head over the pillow.

"Two-Bit, shut up you're bugging the kid," Dally snapped.

"Am I bugging you Pony?" Two-Bit asked.

"Yes," I mumbled.

"Oh."

I pulled myself off of the couch and took hold of my pillow and sluggishly shuffled back to my room. I fell onto my bed and curled under the covers, sinking my head into the pillow. Man was I tired. I guess I dozed off cause the next thing I knew Johnny was sitting on the edge of my bed, a plate of food in hand. I yawned and pushed into a sitting position.

"Here Pony, eat something," Johnny told me.

I shook my head and pushed away the plate, wrinkling up my nose.

"Now way, I'll just puke it back up," I said.

"Pony, Darry said you gotta eat something."

I stared down at the food. Bacon, a slice of chocolate cake and a piece of toast. It looked far from appetizing. I shook my head.

"Johnny I can't eat that," I moaned.

"Alright Ponyboy," Johnny said.

He got up and walked outta the room. I huffed and pulled the covers up over my head. I felt like I had been run over by train. My head was throbbing, I felt like I was gonna puke, I was freezing and my injured side was burning. I just wanted to sleep. All hopes of that were shattered when I heard someone entered the room. I poked my head above the sheets to see Dally come into the room, plate in hand. Oh man! I slid back under the covers and scrunched into a ball. Dally sat on the edge of the bed and shook my shoulder.

"Come on Pony, you're gonna eat something, even if I have to spoon food you," he told me.

I slowly tossed the covers off and I looked up at Dally with dull eyes. He had his usual no-nonsense face on. I was getting cold without my blankets so I grabbed them and pulled them up to my chin, shivering slightly.

"I ain't hungry," I grumbled.

"Well Darry said that you had to eat something," he told me.

My stomach heaved and my eyes went wide.

"Dally…I-I think I'm gonna…"

I stop there, threw aside the covers and rushed into the bathroom, falling in front on toilet. I leaned over and emptied my stomach. I was surprised there was anything still left in my gut.

"You okay kid?" Dally asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"G-go a-a-away," I stuttered.

I spat into the toilet and wrapped my arms around my stomach, leaning back on my heels.

"Whatever Pony," Darry mumbled.

He left me alone. I groaned deeply. I was suddenly really hot. I lay down on the cold tile floor and sighed. Someone walked into the room and grabbed my arm, lifting me to my feet.

"Come on Pony, let's get you to bed," Johnny said.

Johnny dragged me into my room and dropped me onto the bed. He placed his hand on my forehead and pulled the covers up.

"I'm gonna get the thermometer," he told me.

I didn't respond. I was alternating between overheating and shivering. Johnny came back and shoved the thermometer under my tongue. My teeth were chattering so hard I was afraid I was gonna bite clean through it. A few minutes later Johnny pulled it out.

"102.5," he said under his breath, "I'm gonna call Soda."

"I-I'm f-f-fine," I shuddered.

"No you're not. You're shivering like crazy, you're burning up and you're really pale," Johnny informed me.

"I groaned. "S-Soda can't…t-take off…we n-n-need the money."

Johnny sighed and bit his lip. I could tell he was struggling with this conflict. I looked at him with pleading eyes. Johnny frowned.

"Alright, I won't call him," he said.

"Thanks Johnny," I croaked.

Johnny left the room and I lay there feeling miserable. My side was really started to hurt now. I furrowed my brow and pursed my lips. I rolled over on my good side and clenched my eyes tightly together. Drowsiness washed over my body and I slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**It was after me, it was gonna kill me! I started running, but I wasn't getting anywhere. My world was spinning upside down and right-side up. I heard the rough growl. I tripped and fell on my face. There was pain in my leg. I pushed up and got to my feet. I couldn't move my left leg. I kept moving, the sound of my uneven footsteps echoing in my ears. My world was a mix of unseen shapes and colors. It was swirling, turning, flipping me around. I screamed.**

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Dally's POV

I heard earsplitting screams coming from Ponyboy's room. We all jumped up and ran into the room. Pony was thrashing around and screaming bloody murder. I rushed to him and jumped onto the bed and took hold of Pony's flailing body. I pulled him into a sitting position and held him tightly to my chest. He screamed even louder. I shook his shoulders.

"Ponyboy wake up!" I shouted.

"Let go…Can't run…need help!" he cried out.

I did everything I could to wake Pony up. I splashed water on his face, I shook him, but nothing worked. He was burning hot and he wouldn't stop trashing. I looked at Johnny with wild eyes.

"Call Soda!" I yelled.

"But…"

"Call Soda!"

Johnny ran outta the room to go call Soda. I wish we could get hold of Darry, but nobody knew where he was. I held Pony tightly, rocking him back and stroking his hair.

"Shhh Pony, shhh, you're gonna be okay," I whispered in his ear.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it. See that button down there? Click it! Also review cause reviews power this story! Love ya guys, I'll update soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright here's the next chapter for y'all hope you like it. Don't forget to R&R.**

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Soda's POV

I burst into the house, racing to Pony's room. When I had gotten the call at the DX I had run all the way. I was panting and my lungs hurt, but I didn't care, all I cared about was Ponyboy. I entered his room to find Johnny and Two-Bit standing and Dally sitting on the bed, holding Pony's limp body against his chest. I got on the bed and took Pony in my arms. He was burning hot!

"What happened?" I demanded.

"I-I don't know," Dally said, "He just started screaming and he wouldn't wake up and then he just passed out I guess."

I brushed Pony's hair back. He was sweating something awful and he was shivering. What was happening to my baby brother? I gave Pony a tight squeeze and he yelped in his state of unconsciousness. Something was definitely wrong. I laid Ponyboy down in front of me and lifted up his shirt. What I saw made me gasp. There was a bandage on Pony's side and it was stained with blood. I gently took the bandage off and felt like crying. The area around the wound was dark red and swollen and puss was seeping out of the stitches. I jerked my head towards the gang.

"What is this?" I shouted.

Dally and Two-Bit looked absolutely clueless, Johnny on the other hand was biting his lip and fidgeting.

"Johnny, what is this?" I asked, trying to keep calm.

He didn't answer at first. I looked down at Pony. He was so pale.

"Johnny tell me what happened," I said through clenched teeth.

"When Pony and I were jumped he got hurt pretty bad. He told me to stitch it up and not to tell anyone," Johnny told me, tears staining his cheeks.

"We're going to the hospital," I said, "Help me get his pants on."

Two-Bit held Pony still while I pulled on his jeans. I grabbed up my baby brother, cradling him in my arms.

"Johnny write a note so that Darry knows where we are," I said.

I carried Pony out to Two-Bit's car and got into the backseat, holding my kid brother in my lap. Two-Bit, Dally and Johnny all crammed into the front seat and Two-Bit stepped on the gas. I stroked Ponyboy's hair, wiping sweat from his brow.

"You're gonna be okay baby, you're gonna be fine," I whispered.

Why was he so dang hot?! I cursed under my breath and shouted at Two-Bit to go faster. Pony's eyes flickered open and he looked up at me drowsily.

"S-Soda?" he asked weakly.

He was shivering hard in my arms and I pulled him into a tighter embrace. I shushed him.

"You're fine Ponyboy, we're taking you to the hospital," I told him.

"Soda…I-I…hurt," he stammered.

"I know baby, I know."

He closed his eyes and fell back into unconsciousness. Tears watered in my eyes. He had to okay. I couldn't lose my baby, I just couldn't.

"We're here!" Two-Bit shouted.

I flung the door open and ran inside the hospital with Pony in my arms. I looked around franticly.

"I need help over here!" I yelled.

A doctor and a nurse came over to me with a gurney. They took Pony from my arms and laid him down on the gurney. The doctor asked a lot of questions liked, what happened to him? What are his symptoms? Is he allergic to any medication? I answered all of them and followed as they wheeled my brother away. The nurse was yelling things.

"Pulse: 110, BP: 100/80, temperature: 105!"

"Sir you're going to have to wait here!"

My hands were pried off of my little brother's hand as they took him into a room. I stood there, just staring as the door swung closed. Two-Bit, Dally, and Johnny came up to me. Two-Bit laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Come on man, Pony's tough, he's gonna be okay," he assured me.

"I hope so," I whispered.

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**Sorry it was so short, the next one will be longer. Hope you liked it.**


	9. Chapter 9

**So here's another chapter. Thanks for the reviews y'all. Read, enjoy, review and all that good stuff.**

* * *

Darry's POV

I ran into the hospital, urgently searching for Soda and the gang. I found them sitting in the waiting room. Soda was chewing on his fingernails, Johnny was fidgeting in his seat, Dally was puffing on a cigarette, and Two-Bit just looked nervous. I rushed over to them.

"What happened?" I demanded.

Soda jumped up and threw his arms around me, crying into my chest. I was taken aback a little. I hesitantly stroked his hair.

"It's all my fault Darry," Johnny spoke up, "If anything happens to Pony…"

"Take it easy, Johnnycake," Dally said.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" I nearly shouted.

"Ponyboy got cut up when he got jumped. Johnny stitched it up and promised Pony that he wouldn't say anything. It's infected," Two-Bit explained.

I fell into a chair and exhaled. This was just too much. When I had gotten home and found the note on the door I nearly died right there. I shook my head. So many things had already happened and now this. If this kept up I was gonna lose all my hair before the weeks over.

"Is he alright?" I asked softly.

"Doctors won't tell us anything," Johnny answered.

I leaned back in the chair and pushed my hair back. Please let him be alright. I can't lose my baby brother.

Hours passed and we still didn't hear anything. Soda was chewing on his nails again and the guys were pacing around. Steve had showed up as soon as his shift at the DX had ended.

"Ponyboy Curtis?"

I jerked my head up to see a doctor walk into the room. He was middle-aged with light hair and a kind glint in his eyes. I got up and he looked at me, as if sizing my up.

"I'm Dr. Wade," he said.

"Daryl Curtis," I shook his hand, "How's Ponyboy?"

"He's stabilized. We managed to contain the infection before it had a chance to spread. His fever is still high and I'd like to keep him here for awhile for observation," Dr. Wade answered.

I nodded with a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he was gonna be okay.

"Can we see him?" Soda asked.

"Yes, but only for a few minutes," Dr. Wade said.

He gave us Pony's room number and we took the elevator up to his room. I walked in to find Ponyboy sleeping. He looked almost as pale as the sheets beneath him and his mouth hung open slightly as he breathed slowly. I went over and stroked his hair. He felt really warm. Soda got onto the bed and took Pony's hand in his.

"Hey Pony, wake up," Soda coxed.

Pony's eyes fluttered open and he looked up with a blank stare. He licked his cracked lips.

"H-hey guys," he croaked.

"How ya feeling honey?" I asked.

"My side hurt and I-I'm really hot," he groaned.

He tried to kick off the covers, but I pulled them back up. He moaned and covered his eyes with the crook of his elbow. The gang stood back while Soda and I tried to comfort Pony. I stroked his sweaty bangs and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Ponyboy, how come you didn't tell me that you got hurt?" I asked quietly.

"I didn't want you to worry," he told me.

"Pony don't you ever hide anything from me or Soda ever again. It's my job to worry about you," I said.

He looked up at me and forced a smile. I smiled back.

"Sorry Darry," he said.

"Just get some rest buddy," Soda said.

Pony closed his eyes and I watched as he slowly drifted off. I got up and walked over to the corner of the room. I looked back at my sleeping brother. I was started to worry now. Not just about Pony, but also because I didn't have the money to pay for the hospital bills. That's what was really driving me crazy. Soda would be bringing in money from his job, but it wouldn't be enough. I had to find a job!

A nurse came in some time later and told us that we had to go. Two-Bit took Johnny and Dally home so it was just Soda and me. We got into the truck and started for home. During the drive Soda looked over at me.

"Darry I know what you're worrying about," he told me.

I sighed. "Soda if I don't get a job there's no way I can pay for all the bills."

"I take on another shift at the DX," he offered.

"No! Sodapop I don't want you taking more time!" I exclaimed.

"Darry relax,"

I slammed my palms against the steering wheel.

"Dang it Soda, why us? Why'd this have to happen to us?"

Soda shook his head. "We'll get through it Darry."

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. Hen we got home Soda went to his and Pony's room and I collapsed on the couch. I rubbed my eyes and sighed. I really needed to find a job.

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**And end scene. Hope you liked it. Review and I'll update soon.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright y'all here's the next chapter. Hope ya like it, R&R.**

* * *

Pony's POV

My side was on fire. I was cold, I was hot. I didn't know what was going on. I wanted Darry and Soda. I wasn't Mom and Dad. I tossed and turned on my pillow, unable to find a comfortable position. I would pull the covers up to my chin, shivering and then I would toss them off, too hot to stand it. This had to stop. My stomach churned and I gagged, forcing whatever was left in my stomach to stay down.

I hated hospitals, I hated doctors and I hated needles. All of them were applied in my situation. I was in a hospital, doctors were always there and I had needles stuck in my arms. This sucked.

A nurse came into the room and checked my vitals and IV and all that junk. I stared out the window. It was dark outside and the stars were bright in the blackened sky. I exhaled slowly. I wanted to be out there. I wanted to be sitting under the stars instead of stuck in this hospital. I turned my head to face the nurse.

"Where're my brothers?" I croaked.

She gave me a sympathetic look. I didn't want her sympathy. Every time someone gave me a sympathetic look and made me feel like the end of that word. Pathetic.

"They were sent home, you need your rest," she cooed.

I freaked out a little. Wait! Soda and Darry weren't even in the hospital? What if something happened? What if a tornado hit the hospital and I would never see my brothers again? Okay that was a little too dramatic, but still, I wanted my brothers…I needed my brothers.

"I want Darry and Soda!" I shouted.

The nurse looked a little shocked. I started to get up, but she pushed my back down.

"Now just calm down sweetie," she told me.

"No! I want Darry and Soda!" I cried.

I was getting out of the bed when the nurse started pushing rapidly on a button. I was dizzy and my side was burning. I was just starting to get to my feet when the door opened and a man in a white coat walked in. He looked at the nurse first and then at me. He seemed perfectly calm. He came towards me and I tried to shrink away.

"Ponyboy, I'm Dr. Wade, I want to help you," he told me.

"I don't want help, I just want Darry and Soda!" I yelled.

"We'll get your brothers, but I need you to calm down first," he said gently.

I cocked my head a little and eyed the doctor. I didn't believe him. Why should he get my brothers? Why would he care about me? In his eyes I was just a little, dirty hood. I backed away and felt something on my right hand tighten. I looked down to see a tube coming out of the tip of my hand that led to the IV bag.

"Now Ponyboy, I'm going to give you something that will help you calm down," Dr. Wade said.

I watched him as he pulled a small syringe from his coat pocket. I moved away even faster, nearly yanking the IV from my hand. It hurt. Dr. Wade took hold of my arm. He had a strong grip. I tried to pull away, but couldn't. I felt a small pinch as the needle was jabbed into my arm. The world around me started to spin and I had no choice but to fall back against the pillows.

"That's it Ponyboy, now you just rest and I'll get your brothers."

Dr. Wade's voice was the last thing I hear before drifting off into a drugged sleep.

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Soda's POV

"Soda wake up!"

I jolted into consciousness at the sound of Darry's voice. I jerked up and ended up on the floor. I groaned and wiped a hand over my face.

What Darry?" I grumbled.

"Get dressed Dr. Wade just called," he told me.

At those words I got off the floor and looked at Darry. He stood in the doorway, dressed in his jeans and a T-shirt. He had a look of worry on his face.

"What's wrong with Pony?" I demanded.

"Dr. Wade told me that he just started panicking. He wants us down there as soon as possible," Darry said.

I quickly tossed on a pair of pants and a shirt, tying on my sneakers as I hopped out of my room. Darry swiped the keys off the table and I followed him out to the truck. During the drive Darry kept his eyes locked on the distance, his hands tight around the wheel. I knew how he felt. Was Pony gonna be okay? That was my main worry.

When we got to the hospital I jumped out of the car and ran inside. I paced back and forth while Darry checked with the nurse behind the desk.

"Come on Soda, Dr. Wade wants to see us in Pony's room," Darry said.

We got into the elevator and rode up to Pony's floor. We walked into his room to see Dr. Wade and a nurse. They were standing over Ponyboy. When Darry and I walked in Dr. Wade looked up. He came over to us and led us outside.

"Is he okay?" I demanded franticly.

"Easy little buddy," Darry said.

He laid a hand on my shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. Dr. Wade pushed his hair back and sighed.

"Ponyboy will be fine. His fever jumped a little higher, but that's all," he assured us.

"The why did he panic?" Darry asked.

"He just kept saying that he wanted you two. I suspect that he was feeling fear without you there. You two may stay with Ponyboy tonight if you'd like," he told us.

I sighed with relief. At least it wasn't anything serious. Darry thanked the doctor and we walked into Pony's room just as the nurse was leaving. I sat on the edge of Pony's bed and stroked his wet hair. Poor kid. I knew how much being in this hospital must be killing him. Darry pulled up a chair and took hold of Ponyboy's hand. We sat with him for a long while, just watching him as he slept.

Sometime later I got really tired. I rolled Pony over a little bit and climbed in his him, carefully draping my arm around him. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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**Yeah I know, very sucky chapter. I'm stuck in bed with the dang flu and I'm very bored so I just threw this together. Review please and I bet I'll have plenty of time to update a lot more.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Alright y'all yet another chapter done and ready for you. Please enjoy and R&R.**

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Darry's POV

Me and Soda stayed with Pony all night. I slept some, but not much. When morning came Pony began to stir. Soda was awake and sitting on the edge of the bed, keeping a tight hold on Pony's hand. Ponyboy's eyes fluttered open and he stared at me with a blank look. I smiled slightly.

"Hey Pony, how ya feeling?" I asked.

"I-I hurt," he moaned.

I ran my hand through his sweaty hair and felt his forehead. It seemed a little cooler then last night.

"I know baby," I told him.

The door opened and Dr. Wade walked in. He had a small smile on, and it wasn't one of those fake smiles that doctors always gave you.

"Hello Ponyboy, how are we feeling today?" he asked.

"Okay," he mumbled.

Dr. Wade checked all of Pony's vitals and then turned to me.

"Well Mr. Curtis, as long as his fever stays down you can take him home tonight," Dr. Wade told me.

Pony looked more then relieved. I nodded.

"Thank you Doctor," I said.

Dr. Wade nodded and walked out of the room. I turned to Pony.

"Ya hear that Pone? You can come home tonight," I said.

Pony forced a small smile and nodded, licking his dry, cracked lips. He looked so weak lying there, tangled in the white sheets. I brushed his hair back and suppressed a smile. I was glad he was gonna be okay.

* * *

I had left the hospital a couple hours later, going in search of a job. It was no use. I had searched for two days straight and I still couldn't find anything.

It was after dark when I drove for the hospital. Soda was in the waiting room with Pony. I ruffled my baby brother's hair.

"How ya feeling Pony?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Okay, can we go home now?"

"Sure buddy, let me sigh you out," I told him.

After filling out all the papers I picked Ponyboy up and carried him out to the car. Soda climbed in the back and I passed him out kid brother. We spent the drive home in silence. Pony bad fallen asleep and Soda sat stroking his hair. I pulled into our driveway and got out, taking Pony in my arms once again. I carried him up the stairs, into the house and laid him gently on his and Soda's bed.

After I made sure he didn't need anything I went out to the living room. I fell onto the couch and ran a hand over my face. Soda came into the room.

"How'd it go with the job hunting?" he asked.

I shook my head, my face buried in my hands. Soda placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it Darry, we'll get by," he assured me.

I jerked my head up, making him jump back.

"How Soda? How are we gonna get by? I don't have a job, I have to pay the hospital, not to mention all the other bills!" I shouted.

"Darry relax," Soda said.

I jumped up from the couch and clenched my fist.

"How am I supposed to relax? I have no job, no money, and my baby brother's sick," I reminded him.

"What's going on?"

I spun around to find Pony standing in the hall. His eyes drooped and his shoulder sagged. Soda walked over to him and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's nothing Pony, just go back to sleep," Soda told him.

"Is this about money?" he asked.

I closed my eyes and bit my lip. Pony was only fifteen; he didn't need to worry about this. I shook my head.

"Pony, just go back to sleep," I said.

He hesitated for a moment before staggering back to his room. I shook my head.

"Darry, I can still take on more time at DX," Soda told me quietly.

I licked my lips. As much as I hated the idea of Soda supporting the family, there didn't seem to be any other choice.

"Alright Soda, but only till I can find a job," I told him.

"Great, I'll call my boss right now," he said.

"Soda its eight O'clock at night."

"So, that's not too late, the DX is open till ten."

And with that he bounded into the kitchen to make the call. I couldn't help but smile some. What would I do without Sodapop?

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**Sorry it was short, but since all my other chapter are too, it doesn't really matter. Anyways, review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys sorry it's been a while, hope you like it. R&R.**

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Pony's POV

I lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling. I knew that Darry was worried about the bills, no matter how many times he denied it. It was my fault. If I had told him that I was hurt in the first place then I wouldn't have ended up in the hospital.

Sometime later Soda came and sat next to me, stroking my hair. He felt my forehead for the twentieth time that night and frowned. I pushed his hand away.

"I'm fine Soda," I told him.

"You're still warm," he said.

He reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the thermometer. I rolled my eyes, but didn't protest. He stuck it under my tongue and pulled it out a few minutes later.

"101.7, still the same," he muttered.

"I'm okay," I assured him.

His frown deepened and I forced a smile. Good old Soda. I pushed his chest.

"I'm just tired, so go away," I said.

He smiled and walked outta the room. I rubbed my face and tucked my arms behind my head. I closed my eyes and drifted off.

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Soda's POV

The days past and Darry finally let Pony go back to school. I worked extra hours at the DX and was exhausted when I got home. The gang helped out a lot, around the house and with money.

It had been over a week and Darry had found small, odd jobs to do, but it didn't bring in much money. We had finally paid off the hospital bill, but things were going down hill. The social serves were coming by tomorrow and we didn't have anything positive to show them.

It was Friday afternoon and Steve had taken my shift at the DX to help out. Darry was flipping through the newspaper, trying to find a job. I was lying on mine and Pony's bed trying to catch a few winks. The phone rang. I was about to get up.

"I got it!" Darry called.

I shrugged and fell back onto the pillows. A few minutes later Darry stormed into my room, obviously angry.

"I'm gonna kill him!" he yelled.

"Who?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing my hair.

"Ponyboy. Turns out he hasn't been at school since we told him he could go back."

"But it's been a week. He hasn't been at school since?"

"No, and you can be sure that he's gonna get a whipping for that!"

"Darry calm down."

"I ain't gonna calm down till I get an explanation from Ponyboy, and for his sake I hope it's good!"

And with that Darry spun around and stomped out of the room. I cocked an eyebrow. Pony was in big trouble. I lay back down and dozed off.

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Darry's POV

I was sitting on the couch, watching the front door. It was eight O'clock and Pony still wasn't home. I was gonna kill him. The door opened and Ponyboy walked in. When he saw me he gave a fake grin. I squinted.

"So Ponyboy, how was school?" I asked calmly.

If he lies to me I'm gonna give him a whipping that he'll never forget.

"Fine," he answered.

That was it. I stood up and grabbed his arm as he started to walk past. He looked at me, startled.

"Darry let me go," he said.

"Ponyboy you quit lying to me!" I shouted. "I got a call from your principal this afternoon. Turns out you haven't been at school for a week. Where have you been Pony? And don't you lie to me!"

He looked shocked. I was so mad.

"Answer me Ponyboy!"

"I-I-I got a job…I wanted to help out," he said quietly.

My anger vanished some. I sighed and let go of his arm. I pushed back my hair and closed my eyes.

"Pony, the social serves are coming tomorrow and they expect you to be in school, not taking on a job," I said.

"I just wanted to help."

"What's all the yelling about?"

Soda walked out and saw Ponyboy.

"Oh," was all he said.

Pony dug around in his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. He handed them to me and walked off to his room. I exhaled slowly and fell onto the couch, staring down at the money.

"He just wanted to help Darry," Soda told me.

"I know, but he shouldn't have to worry, he should be in school and acting like a normal teenager," I reminded him.

"I'll go talk to him."

Soda left the room and I leaned back. Well at least I could use the money to bye some food. I had to have something to show the social worker. I grabbed my keys and walked out to the truck.

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**Well there it was. Please review and I'll update soon. Also feel free to PM on how you think this should go.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Alright, since y'all didn't tell me what you wanted, I'm gonna have to guess. Hope ya like it, please R&R.**

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Pony's POV

"Ponyboy get outta the bed, the social worker will be here any minute!"

The voice filtered into my dream and I moaned. I felt the covers leave my body. I reached out blindly, trying to pull them back up. Hands shook me.

"Pony if you don't get up I'm gonna have to…"

It cut off there. I cracked open and eyelid to find Soda leaning over me. He looked worried. Why was he worried? Oh yeah, the social worker. I groaned and rolled outta the bed. I threw on a pair of tattered jeans and a dark T-shirt, tying on my sneakers. I heard a knock and then the front door. I ran out into the living room, my shoes squeaking as I slid across the floor. A woman stood in the doorway. She seemed very professional, dressed in a suit with her hair done up all fancy.

Soda and I sat nervously on the couch while she talked to Darry and inspected the house. My left leg was twitching. It always did that when I was nervous. Soda placed his hand on my knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. I looked up at him and he gave me an encouraging smile. Darry and the lady came back into the room and Soda and I stood up.

"From what I've seen and from what you've told me, you three have had a hard time for quite some time," the lady said.

"We're getting by," Darry told her.

"I'm sorry Mr. Curtis, but just getting by isn't good enough. I've also heard that Ponyboy has not been at school in almost three weeks."

"He was sick," Soda said quietly.

"Yes, but from my understanding he was able to return last week."

I shifted uncomfortably. The woman sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but Sodapop and Ponyboy will be moved to a boy's home until you can get back on your feet. Have then ready to leave tomorrow morning."

My eyes widened. What? They couldn't take us away from Darry. Well, they could, but it didn't seem real until this very moment.

"What? You can't just take us away!" Soda shouted.

"Actually I can. I find that you two are at risk in this environment. Believe me; this is for your own good."

"Our own good? Pony and I are doing just fine here!" Soda yelled.

"Soda stop!" Darry commanded.

"I won't stop, their not taking me and Pony away!"

"Mr. Curtis, I'll be back in the morning to pick up Sodapop and Ponyboy, have them ready."

And with that the lady left the house. I just stood there, staring at the wall. I couldn't move. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening. I was shaking and I could feel warm tears trace my cheeks. I could here Soda and Darry yelling, but it seemed so far away.

Then I broke. With an angry yell I burst out the door and started running.

"Ponyboy, come back!" I heard Darry shout.

I didn't stop, I just kept going. Everything rushed past me in a blur. Hot tears were streaming down my face and my breath came in heavy gasps. I wasn't going anywhere. They couldn't take me away from Darry!

Just then I was tackled from behind. I landed on the cement with a grunt and someone rolled me over. I was staring up into the face of Darry. He was crying too. He grabbed me up in his arms and I buried my face into his shoulder. I clutched fistfuls of his shirt and cried hard. Darry stroked my hair and whispered things in my ear.

"It's going to be okay Pony, everything will be alright," he assured me.

I didn't believe him. I just cried. Darry picked me up and carried me back to the house. He set me down on the couch and brushed my hair back.

"I don't want to go!" I cried.

"I know baby, I know. As soon as I find a job you and Soda can come back home and everything will be normal."

I wish I could be sure about that. Darry just held me while I cried.

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**Once again I apologize for all the chapters being short, but I'm just throwing this together real quick. So anyways, please review and if you still have a request for where this should go, please PM me.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys thanks for all the reviews and I hope you like this next chapter.**

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Soda's POV

A foot was planted in my stomach and I grunted, waking up from my deep sleep. What the heck? I opened my eyes to find Pony tossing and turning in the bed, whimpering. I shot up into a sitting position. Oh man, he was having a nightmare! But he hasn't had one in months. I took hold of Pony's shoulders and shook him in an attempt to bring him out of his dream.

"No! Let me go!" Pony shouted.

I held his struggling form against my body, rocking him and stroking his forehead.

"Darry!" I called.

Before I could even move Darry was in the doorway. His eyes locked on Ponyboy and he ran over to us.

"Ponyboy? Pony wake up!" Darry ordered.

Nothing. Pony continued to thrash and struggle in my grasp. Darry left the room and came back a few moments later with a wet cloth. He climbed up on the bed and wrung it out on Pony's face. My baby brother's eyes snapped open and he gasp. He looked around and then started trembling in my arms, tears staining his cheeks. I kissed his hair while Darry rubbed his shoulder.

"It's okay Pony, it's okay," I whispered in his ear.

He whimpered and pushed closer to me, arms wrapped around his shaking body.

"I-I don't w-w-want to leave!" he stammered through his sobs.

My heart nearly broke in half. The thought of leaving Darry tore into me. Darry forced a small smile and stroked Pony's hair.

"As soon as I get a job I'll get you back," Darry said.

"B-but I need you," Pony whispered.

I saw a tear trace down Darry's cheek, but he quickly flicked it away. He didn't want us to leave anymore then we wanted to go. Darry wrapped the two of us in a big hug, pulling us close. We stayed in the tight embrace for a few minutes before Darry released us. Pony had fallen asleep in the warmth of our arms. I gently placed him on his side of the bed and I lay down next to him. Darry was still in the room when I dozed off.

* * *

When morning came I wished I could just go back to the previous night. I rolled outta the bed and threw on a pair of tattered jeans, a white T-shirt, my sneakers and a leather jacket. I went into the bathroom and greased my hair back so that it didn't hang in my eyes.

Pony came stumbling in a few minutes later, dressed similar to me. He pushed my outta the way and slapped some grease through his hair. His face was grim and his eyes were still puffy from crying that night. I didn't blame him one bit. This was a bad day for all of us.

Darry had called the gang up as soon as we found out, so they were all gonna stop by and say goodbye. I walked outta the bathroom and into the kitchen. I placed my palms on the counter and let out a breath. I didn't feel much like eating.

"Sodapop, you alright?"

I spun around to see Darry standing in the doorway. He was looking pretty grim too. I guess this was a day we all didn't want to happen. If I could erase a day in my life this would be the one. I slammed my fists on the counter and swiveled around.

"No. No Darry, I'm not alright. This isn't fair; we were doing just fine up until that social worker stuck her nose in our business!" I nearly shouted.

I didn't mean to explode like that, but I just couldn't help myself. I was mad. No, I was beyond mad. I was furious! They couldn't just take me and Ponyboy away like this.

Darry came over to me and rubbed the back of my neck gently. He wrapped an arm around my head and kissed my hair.

"Soda I promise I'll get a job and the three of us can be back together and everything will be normal," Darry told me.

Ponyboy walked in and dropped into a chair. He placed his elbows on the table and cupped his face in his hands.

"How ya doing Pone?" I asked.

He just looked up at me, not saying a word. Just then the door opened.

"Hello?"

I knew that voice. Steve. The gang walked into the kitchen. None of them looked very happy. Two-Bit's usual mischievous grin was gone, Johnny was looking even more nervous then usual, Steve looked very glum, and Dally had a blank expression on his face. Johnny sat down next to Pony and started talking to him.

"We're all gonna miss ya," Steve said.

"Golly Steve, we ain't gonna be gone forever, we'll be back soon as Darry gets a job," I reminded him, forcing a smile.

Darry rubbed the back of my head and grinned a little.

"That's right little buddy," he said.

"Well you can bet that we're gonna help ya find one Darry," Two-Bit said.

There was a knock on the door and Darry went to answer it. We all knew what was coming.

"Good morning Mr. Curtis."

"Morning Ms. Spencer. Soda, Pony, coming in here," Darry called.

Ponyboy stood up and I took a hold of his shoulder, shuffling into the living room with him. Ms. Spencer was standing near the door, looking professional. My eyes dropped to the ground.

"Sodapop, Ponyboy, are you ready?" Ms. Spencer asked.

Pony and I nodded. Our suitcases were already by the door. Steve laid a hand on my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Johnny stood close to Ponyboy in a protective manner.

"We should be going know," Ms. Spencer told us.

I grabbed mine and Pony's suitcases and frowned. Pony leapt at Darry and threw his arms around our older brother's neck.

"Darry please don't let her take us!" Pony cried.

I could tell that Darry was trying to fight back tears. He stroked Pony's hair as he held onto him for dear life.

"Ponyboy you gotta go. I don't want you to, but we don't have a choice," Darry said.

Pony released Darry and nodded, wiping away tears. He sniffled and ran out the door, not saying anything more.

"Bye Dar," I said, walked out the door.

Pony was leaning against the van that was park outside, quickly flicking the tears away. Ms. Spencer got us situated in the van and then we drove away. I leaned my head against the window, wishing that this was just a big nightmare.

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**Well y'all this chapter was a little longer. I hope you liked it and if so please review. Love y'all!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey y'all thanks for the reviews, you guys are awesome! Hope you enjoy this chapter; don't forget to R&R. Oh and I'm very sorry for the previous Dally OOCness, but I don't really like Dally so I can't really grasp his personality.**

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Darry's POV

As soon as I heard the van drive away I burst into tears. This was just too hard! They had just taken my brothers away from me and now I felt so empty. Two-Bit laid a hand on my shoulder and furrowed his brow.

"It'll be alright Darry, we'll help you get a job and then everything will be back to normal," he assured me.

I wasn't so sure that it was gonna be that easy. I fell onto the couch and rubbed my face.

"We can help out with money, Dar," Steve offered.

I shook my head and looked up.

"I couldn't ask you to do that Steve, ya need the money for yourself," I told him.

"Ya need it more then I do, and I ain't gonna argue anymore," Steve said, "Two-Bit'll help to, right Two-Bit?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, right," Two-Bit muttered.

I turned one side of my mouth up in an attempted smile and nodded.

"Thanks guys," I said.

"I got some money to Darry, I guess you could have it," Dally told me.

"We'll bring it by tomorrow," Johnny said.

The gang left sometime later, but I wasn't really aware of it. The house was completely silent and it made me feel even worse. I needed to get a job, stat.

* * *

Pony's POV

As soon as we reached the boy's home my heart jumped. It looked like prison. A metal gate encircled the area and guards were posted at the entrance and along the sides. I gulped. Soda obviously noticed how nervous I was cause he gave me a forced smile and squeezed my knee. I tried to smile back, but found it impossible. Ms. Spencer drove through the gate and then parked along the side of a large building. Soda and I jumped outta the van and stood stalk still.

"Come with me and I'll show you to your rooms," Ms. Spencer said.

We followed her into the building and down a long hallway. Ms. Spencer opened a door and we walked in with her.

"Ponyboy, this is your room," she told me.

My eyes widened and I snapped my head towards her.

"Soda and I ain't gonna be sleeping together?" I demanded.

Ms. Spencer gave me an odd look. Soda didn't look too happy about this.

"Of course not, the boys are separated by age. You're old enough to sleep without your brother aren't you?" she asked.

I didn't want her to think I was a baby so I nodded slowly. Soda shot me an encouraging look, but he still didn't look happy.

"Sodapop, please follow me to your room," Ms. Spencer said, "Ponyboy the other boys should be in soon and I'll leave you to introduce yourself."

And with that Ms. Spencer walked outta the room. Soda came over and gave me a hug.

"You gonna be alright Pony?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," I told him, though I wasn't too sure."

He nodded and walked outta the room. I sighed and looked around. It was a small room with three bunks all squeezed tightly together. I took the last empty bunk; fortunately it was a bottom, so I wouldn't have to worry about falling outta the bed in case of a nightmare. I set my suitcase on the mattress and sat down.

A few minutes later the door opened and three boys bounded in, laughing and hollering. When they saw me they stopped and stared. I felt a little uncomfortable under their gazes. They were socs. I could tell almost instantly. They wore sweaters and jeans and their hair was cut short. They snarled at me.

"Look Davy, we got some fresh meat," one smirked.

I gulped. I was gonna die. I was gonna die. They started coming towards me when a voice stopped them.

"Back off Pete, unless you want to fight me."

The socs spun around and growled. I looked around them to find a boy standing in the doorway. He looked about Soda's size with blond hair that was greased back and cool, grey eyes.

"You stay outta this Jay, we just wanna help the new kid fit in," the one called Davy said.

"You wanna take on me to?"

Another boy stepped into the room. He was a little taller then Jay, with greased black hair and almost black eyes. He definitely looked tough. The socs growled and stormed outta the room. The two greasers smile and came over to me.

"Hey I'm Jay, this is Cash," Jay said.

"I'm Ponyboy," I said.

I waited for one of the usual responses, but I didn't get one.

"Cool name," Cash said with a grin.

"So what happened to you to get thrown in this prison?" Jay asked.

I didn't really want to talk about it. I looked at the floor, hoping they would get the hint. They didn't. I felt their eyes trained on me. I sighed. I guess I would have to tell them.

"My parents died a few years ago, me and my brother Sodapop been living with our other brother Darry as our guardian. He lost his job and the social services decided that our home wasn't fit to live in anymore," I answered, "What about you two?"

"My old man kept whipping me, finally got tired of it and ran away. Police caught up with me," Cash said, talking like it was no big deal.

"I was orphaned at three. Been in so many foster homes, one day I decided I had had enough and got the heck outta there. Been in here for about six months now," Jay told me.

"Hey Ponyboy, don't worry about them socs, sure we gotta live with em, but stick close to us and they won't bother ya," Cash assured me.

I believed him. Cash was a scary looking guy. Ms. Spencer said that they split up the boys by age, but I could hardly believe that Cash was fifteen. Jay looked pretty tough too, and I knew he would be able to hold his own in a fight.

"This place ain't so bad once ya get used to it. They let us smoke and we still getta fight as long as it's just skin," Cash said.

"The only downer is that they took our blades away," Jay said with a chuckle.

I grinned slightly and nodded. Just then a bell rang loudly and I jerked up with a gasp. Jay and Cash burst out laughing at my expression.

"It's just the bell Ponyboy, time to eat," Jay told me.

I rolled my eyes and got up. I followed Jay and Cash outta the room and down the hall.

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**Hope ya guys liked it, please review! I'll update ASAP. Love y'all!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Yet another chapter to add to the story. Enjoy and please review.**

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Soda's POV

I was a little worried about Pony. He had never slept without me since Mom and Dad died. I really hoped that he was gonna be alright. Ms. Spencer led me to another room and walked me inside. It was pretty small with two bunks. I tossed my suitcase on one of the beds as Ms. Spencer left the room.

As soon as she was gone three other boys walked in. They all had greased back hair and good builds. The tallest one walked over to me, arms crossed over his chest.

"That's my bunk," he told me, a snarl in his voice.

I cocked an eyebrow and got up in his face. This probably wasn't the smartest thing considering he was a good three inches taller then me and at least twice as buff.

"Oh really?" I said.

Yeah, I'm an idiot. Oh well, if he was gonna pound my face in I might as well make it worth my while. The guy growled and the other two stifled laughs. Well at least they were enjoying it.

"What's you name newby?" he demanded.

"Sodapop Curtis," I answered, stretching upwards in an attempt to get eye level with this guy.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" he said with a scoff.

"I ain't laughing," I told him coolly.

"You got a mouth on ya kid."

"Huh, that's funny cause you have one too, its right under that ferrite you call facial hair."

I knew as soon as the words were outta my mouth I was gonna die. Oh well, at least I had a good time while it lasted. The guy raised his fist, ready to bring it down on my face.

"Cool off Eddie," one of the guys behind him said.

"Back off Frank, I'm gonna teach this kid a lesson he'll never forget," Eddie growled, a look of pleasure on his face.

"Sorry, but I dropped outta school," I said.

I silently cursed at myself. Dang! I need to learn to shut up. Eddie spun to face me, rage in his eyes. If looks could kill I'd be twelve feet under. He raised his fist before jerking away and storming outta the room. I breathed in relief and dropped onto the bed I had thrown my things on. The kid with red hair, Frank, came over to me and gripped the railing of the bed.

"Man, you're either real brave or real dumb," he told me, "No one takes on Eddie Caylen unless they have a death wish."

"Sorry, I must have missed that part when they were giving the tour," I snapped.

Man, I was on a roll. I needed to stop hanging around Two-Bit so much; he was starting to rub off on me. Frank cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"If you want to survive in here then you're gonna have to tape your mouth shut. But for what it's worth, nice to have ya around. I'm Frank, that's Ricky," Frank said, pointing to the guy with brown hair.

"I'm Sodapop," I said.

"So I heard. Now is that your real name or are ya messing with us?" Ricky asked.

"Naw, it's my real name. Got a brother named Ponyboy, he's in here too," I said.

"Cool," Frank and Ricky said in union.

They jumped on the other bunk, Ricky on the top and Frank on the bottom. I decided it would probably be smart if I moved off Eddie's bunk and onto the top. I tossed my things on and swung up, leaning against the thin pillow.

"Oh, and I'm sure you're gonna like it here. Plenty of skin fights, smoking is aloud and sometimes we can even sneak a drink in here," Ricky told me, glancing in my direction.

I nodded. I could actually care less if fights were aloud, and if we could smoke. I was worried about how Pony was doing and I was worried about how Darry and the rest of the gang were doing. This was pretty hard for me, so I couldn't even begin to image what this was doing to Ponyboy. And would he be okay tonight? It's gonna be his first night without me since Mom and Dad died and even with me he sometimes has nightmares.

"Sodapop, ya okay? Ya look like you're gonna be sick."

Frank's voice snapped me outta my thoughts. I yanked my head towards him.

"Huh? Oh yeah, just thinking is all," I answered.

"What about? They really can't be much to think about if you're in here. Cause if you got taken away from your parents cause they were whipping you, then you wouldn't want to think about that. And if you're a runaway then I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to think about that. Maybe you have a history with the fuzz, in that case you might be wondering if they were gonna come in here and take you away," Ricky rambled on and on about the possibilities of what I might, or might not be thinking.

Gosh, does this kid ever shut up?! I took my pillow and covered my face, holding it down over my ears. This was gonna be a long…how ever many days it takes Darry to find a job.

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**Hope ya liked it! Two chapters in one day again, yay. Now I'm happy and I'd be even happier if you reviewed! Love y'all.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Read, enjoy, and review. Oh and Soda has something to say to Phoenixx Rising.**

**Soda: I was not picking fights, that idiot deserved everything he got and more. But I have a hunch that I'm not gonna last very long in this place.**

**And on that note, onto the story!**

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Pony's POV

My first day hadn't been too bad. I had seen Soda at meal time and Jay and Cash were tuff. The only thing that I didn't like was the three socs I had to share a room with. Luckily, every time they had tried to pick on me Jay and Cash were around to save my sorry butt.

Everyone was in their dorms now and it was almost time for lights out. I sat on my bed, my leg twitching nervously. It was my first night without Soda and I was scared stiff. What scared me even worse was Davy. He kept flashing me glares and evil smiles. I really didn't want to get attacked in my sleep.

A few minutes later a bell rang and Jay flipped of the lights. I crawled under my covers and tucked my head underneath the sheet. I don't know what it is, but I feel so safe under the blankets. I know their not going to save me if I get attacked, but I just felt a little safer.

Sometime later I feel asleep to the sound of loud, rumbling snores.

* * *

I woke up instantly when a hand cracked across my cheek with incredible force. I was screaming bloody murder. My throat was raw and my voice was starting to crack.

"Shut up!"

My eyes shot open and I snapped my mouth shut. I was sitting in my bed with my roommates standing over me. Jay and Cash looked worried while the three socs only looked angry and annoyed.

I hug my knees to my chest and tried to control my trembling body, but I couldn't stop shaking. The door flung open and Ms. Spencer charged in. Her robe was tied hastily around her wait and her eyes were wide.

"What on earth is going on in here?" she demanded.

"Horsyboy here just started screaming," Davy grumbled.

I didn't bother to reply. I was still shaken up. Once again I had no idea what I had dreamt about, but I was scared. I wanted Soda. I wanted Soda. A tear escaped my eye and trickled down my cheek. Davy smirked.

"Aw look, the little greasers gonna cry?" he said with false sympathy.

"David, close your mouth," Ms. Spencer snapped, then she turned to me, "Ponyboy, are you alright?"

I stared at her with wide eyes and nodded slowly. I really wasn't, but I didn't want her to know.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Nightmare," I mumbled.

"Alright boys, back to bed. Ponyboy, I'd like you to see the physiatrist tomorrow," Ms. Spencer told me.

I rolled my eyes. Great, now I had to tell a shrink about my life. This was jest getting better and better. The lights were flipped off and I shoved my face in the pillow, hoping that I wouldn't have another nightmare. I stayed awake for at least an hour before I slowly drifted off.

* * *

After breakfast in the morning we all headed for school. I was walking for my class when I passed by Soda. He grinned and ruffled my hair.

"Hey Pone, how ya doing? They treating you okay in your room?" he asked.

I forced a smile and nodded. There was no way I was gonna tell Soda about the nightmares, case he would have a cow. And if I told him about Davy then he'd find that kid and beat the daylight outta him, only making it worse for me.

"Yeah Soda, they're good to me," I lied.

I was hoping that my face wouldn't show that I was lying. Soda can always tell when I'm lying, but either he wasn't paying attention or I had pulled it off, cause he didn't question me any further.

"Ya now, it really sucks having to go back to school," he told me, "I've already dropped out so what's the point of going again?"

I chuckled. "I think you'll live."

The bell rang and Soda and I went our own ways. School was actually pretty good. I was in all of the same classes with Cash and Jay and I had a few classes together. I was thankful that I only had one class with Davy and Pete. Outta all the socs in the home they were by far the worst.

After school ended everyone went outside for recreation. I had gotten out the pack of cigarettes I had brought with me and lit on up, puffing on the smoke. I walked along the fence, watching as the other guys played basketball or ran around. I saw Soda talking with a couple of guys as he walked past. Jay and Cash were on the basketball court, talking on a couple of other greasers.

I just didn't feel much like socializing so I like it back here just fine. It was outta everyone's way and it gave me a chance to think. My thoughts drifted to Darry and the gang. I sure hoped they were doing alright. Maybe Darry had gotten a job and was coming to take us back home soon.

I was brought of my thoughts by a harsh voice that came from my right.

"Hey Horsyboy, ya wanna play?"

I jerked my head towards the voice to see Pete and Davy coming towards me. My shoulders sagged. Great, just great. I dropped my cigarette and stomped on it to douse the smoke.

"Look, I'm not in the mood for this so just leave me alone," I snapped.

"Oh looks like the little greaser's got some nerve," Pete taunted, "Come on Grease, let's play."

Then, with lightning speed, Pete lashed out and his fist connected with my stomach. I grunted as the wind rushed from my. I crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath. Pete and Davy laughed. I got a kick to the ribs and I withered on the ground.

Of course the guards didn't bother to stop this cause skin fights were aloud. Pete grabbed my hair and jerked my head up. Davy was standing in front of me, fist raised and a smirk on his face.

"This is for waking me up last night," he growled.

His fist smashed into my left eye and then into my right temple. I was too dizzy and sore to fight back. I took the punches and kicks as best as I could. A few minutes later Pete and Davy left, laughing wickedly.

I lay on the ground, too weak and disoriented to move. I heard shouts and then felt someone touched my head.

"Hey Ponyboy, you okay?" Jay asked.

I cracked open and eyelid and winced. Ow! My head was pounding and the world spun around me.

"Will someone please hold the world still?" I demanded, my voice sounding slurred and groggy in my own ears. Blood trickled from my mouth and I realized that I had bitten my tongue while I was getting beat up. Cash and Jay lifted me to my feet.

"Come on Ponyboy, let's get you cleaned up," Cash said.

Cash and Jay slung my arms around their necks and dragged my back to our dorm. They set me down on the bed and Jay left. Cash checked me over from top to bottom before removing my shirt. What I saw made me sick. My ribs were covered with black and blue bruises, but worse then that a small patch of blood had grown over the bandage that I still had from my stitches. I cursed. That should have healed by now!

"Ponyboy what's that?" Cash demanded, indicated to the bloody bandage.

"Some soc cut me up. I had re-stitched a couple weeks ago, I thought it'd be healed by now," I muttered.

Cash removed the bandage and I sighed in relief. A couple stitches had come loose, but the cut was mostly healed.

"You wanna see the nurse?" Cash asked.

I shook my head. "Naw, I should be okay."

Jay came back with a wet cloth and a bag of ice. He handed me the ice and I placed it over my swollen eye. Jay set to cleaning up my fresh cuts and then took the ice away from me, sticking it over my ribs. I hissed in pain and Jay flashed me a sympathetic look.

"Sorry Ponyboy," he said.

I nodded in understanding. Once they were sure I was mostly fine Cash got a murderous look on his face.

"I'm gonna find Pete and Davy and bash their head in," he snarled.

I shook my head. "No Cash, it'll only make it worse."

He hesitated a moment before nodded slowly.

"Fine, but you stick closer to us from now on, I don't wanna see ya get beat up again," Cash told me.

"Okay," I answered.

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**Hey this is my longest chapter yet, yay. So I hope ya liked it and please review, but no flames, flames are bad. Love ya!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, things have been pretty crazy. Yesterday we had a freak windstorm and a tree crashed through our window and yeah. So anyways I hope you like this chapter, please review.**

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Soda's POV

When I heard that Pony had been hurt I was furious. I stormed down the halls and to his room. I walked inside to see my baby brother sitting on a bunk with two other boys standing over him. They looked up at me.

"Hey Soda," Pony said with a small smile.

I walked over to him, ignoring the other two boys. I knelt at his side and looked over his wounds. His face was bruised and bloody and his shirt was off so I could see the purple colored skin around his ribs and the bloody bandage on his side.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"Davy and Pete got him," the dark haired boy spoke, "Couple of socs that we room with."

"Soda this is Cash and Jay," Pony told me, "Guys this is my brother Soda. If it weren't for Cash and Jay I'd probably been in worse shape."

"Thanks for protecting my baby brother," I said, "Now where can I find Davy and Pete cause they're gonna get the beating of their life."

"Soda please don't get into a fight, I already have to convince Jay and Cash that they don't need to fight my battles," Pony told me.

"Pone I ain't just gonna sit by and watch you get beat up like this," I said.

"Um…we'll just leave you two alone," Jay said.

He and Cash walked outta the room, leaving me alone with my brother. I exhaled slowly and ran a hand through my hair.

"Pony listen to me, I can't just watch you get hurt, I'm gonna stop this," I told him.

"Soda I can fight my own battles."

"Ponyboy I ain't saying that you can't, I just think ya should let me help."

He got up and pushed on my chest, knocking me to the ground.

"I can take care of this, it's my problem!" he yelled.

And with that he stormed out of the room. I sat on the floor, stunned. Pony had never yelled at me before. What had gotten into him? I shook my head. I guess times were just tough for all of us. I honestly didn't blame him one bit.

I got up and walked out of the room, shuffling down the halls. I was still mad that Pony had gotten beat up and I was still gonna find em and teach em a lesson.

"Hey Soda, wait up!"

I spun around to see Frank and Ricky running towards me. I stopped and waited for them to catch up.

"Heard your brother got beat up, he okay?" Ricky asked.

I nodded. "Yeah he's a tough kid."

"Okay, just wanted to make sure he wasn't too bad hurt," Frank said.

They walked outside and I continued my route down the halls. I wasn't going anywhere specific; I just needed to get my thoughts together.

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**Okay so that was that, hope you liked it and please review! Also tell me if is should stop this soon or continue it. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry it's been awhile, but I've been pretty busy so I hope you like this chapter please review.**

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Pony's POV

I can't believe that I yelled at Soda. I had never yelled at Soda before, but he had just made me so mad! He was talking like I was some weakling who couldn't fight his own battles. Well I could!

I just hoped that Soda didn't go after Davy and Pete. If he did it would be like him sentencing me to death. A very painful death. I really loved Soda and I usually went to him when I had a problem, but things have changed. I gotta learn to handle my own problems and figure things out on my own.

I stomped down the halls, shoving my hands into my pockets. I was acting like a little kid, but I didn't care. I just wanted to go back home so that everything would be normal.

Johnny and I would sit and watch sunsets together, Darry would work his tail off at work and then Soda and I would yell at him for working too hard. Dally would get thrown in the cooler for getting into fights or swiping something, Steve and Soda would flirt with the girls at the DX and Two-Bt would get drunk and run around with his many blonds. Everything would be perfect.

"Hey Ponyboy, how'd it go with your brother?"

Jay and Cash ran up next to me on either side and clapped a hand on my shoulders.

I shook my head. "Not so good. I yelled at Soda and then ran out cause he wanted to fight my battles for me."

"Well you're lucky to have a brother. At least you have someone to stick up for you and help you get through things," Jay said, "If I hadn't found Cash I would be falling apart in this place."

I furrowed my brow. I didn't think about it like that. I guess I was really lucky. I nodded.

"I guess I should go find Soda and apologize," I said.

"Just try and avoid Davy and Pete, I heard they're looking for you," Cash warned.

"Yay!" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Cash and Jay chuckled before walking off. I headed outside in search of Soda. I found him; the only problem was that he was giving Davy and Pete a whipping. I slapped my face and groaned inwardly. I was so dead.

After Soda was through kicking and beating the tar outta the two he looked up and noticed I was watching. His eyes softened and his face fell, forehead creased with lines. He walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. I shrunk away.

"Ponyboy I was only trying to help," he told me.

"Well that's just great Soda, now they're gonna beat me up in my sleep or find me and do more damage then before!" I snapped.

"Pony…" he started.

"Save it!" I spat.

I turned and stormed away. I can't believe that he did that! How could he? I told him not to, but did he listen to me? NO! And to think I was gonna apologize. I stormed into the bathrooms and placed my palms on the counter, head down. It was a silly place to go, but it was the only place I could think of. I just needed to get my thoughts straight.

I turned on the cold water and splashed it on my face, shaking my head. What had I just done? I had just yelled at Soda and why? Because he was trying to protect me. Some brother I am.

I buried my face in my hands and exhaled slowly through my nose. Things were just getting worse and worse. This couldn't seriously be happening! First Darry looses his job and then I get put in the hospital, then the state decides to throw me and Soda in a boys' home and now the two of us are growing further and further apart.

This was just so hard! I knew things were only going to get worse when the door opened and Davy and Pete walked in. How'd they know where to find me? Maybe it was just a coincidence, but either way I was gonna get my face pounded in again.

Davy had a nice shiner and a cut on his cheek. Pete's face was covered in bruises and they both looked really mad. Their lips twisted into wicked grins.

"Hey little horsy, your brother just beat us up and now we're gonna do the same to you," Pete taunted.

I knew there was no point in running or trying to put up a fight. There were two of them and they were twice my size and weight. Good bye cruel world. Pete came up behind me and grabbed my arms, locking them behind my back. Davy stood in front of me and lashed out, hitting me in the gut. I grunted as my breath left me.

Two beatings in one day. Lucky me. Yes, there was sarcasm in those words.

Davy continued to pummel my gut and ribs and I just took it. I was gasping for breath when Pete let go, dropping me to the floor. I couldn't get my breath back and my chest burned with an invisible fire.

Davy lifted my back up to my feet and Pete took his place in front of me. Oh goodie, they were changing places. Pete smashed his fist into my face and before long I was dizzy and disoriented. My vision blinked on and off and everything was hazy.

"Alright, I think he's had enough."

Davy dropped me and I crumpled to the ground, unable to support myself. I couldn't move. Everything was spinning wildly around me and everything either burned or ached. My face was throbbing something awful.

I heard a door open and then close. There was silence. I was left alone. I really hoped that someone would be coming in here soon cause I wasn't getting off this floor by myself.

"Soda?" I croaked.

I knew he wasn't coming. I had yelled at him and probably upset him. I honestly didn't know what was wrong with me. This place was changing me, turning me into something I wasn't. Dizziness swirled in my head, sending me into darkness.

"I'm sorry Soda," I whispered before falling into the welcomed void.

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**So I hope you liked it and please, please review cause reviews feed this story and it is very hungry! Thanks y'all love ya!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys thanks for the reviews and I please enjoy and review this chapter.**

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Soda's POV

I slumped my shoulders and shuffled around, not really paying attention to the word around me. I can't believe Pony was so mad. I was just trying to protect him and he yelled at me. Sure he told me not to, but what was I supposed to do, let them keep beating on my baby brother? Not in this lifetime.

I was walking past the bathroom when I heard a low groan. I stopped suddenly and listened. I heard it again, coming from behind the bathroom door. I pushed the door open and what I saw made me sick.

Ponyboy was lying on the floor, his face a mass of blood and bruises. He was curled into a tight ball, not moving.

"Pony!" I cried.

I ran to his side and dropped to my knees cradling his head in my lap. I stroked his blood-matted hair and shook his shoulders gently.

"Ponyboy can you hear me?" I said.

He groaned and his eyes flickered open slowly. He stared up at me and opened his mouth to speak.

"S-Soda?" he croaked.

"Yeah it's me little buddy," I told him.

"S-Sorry I…yelled," he said.

"Don't worry about it. Don't talk."

I carefully pulled him to his feet, making him wince in pain. I helped him over to the counter and ran the cod water. After I cleaned him up a bit I half carried half dragged him back to his room. I set him down on the bunk.

"Did Davy and Pete do this?" I demanded.

"Thought I wasn't supposed to talk," he said.

"Pony this is serious, was it Davy and Pete?" I asked again.

He nodded slowly. "Yeah."

Fury burned in my veins. How dare they go and beat up my brother again. They were gonna die very painfully!

"Soda, please don't fight em again," Pony begged, "They'll only do it again."

"Pone I can't just let this go!" I exclaimed.

"Soda please, I don't want this to keep up. I already feel like I got run over by a train, I don't need to get beat on again."

His grey-green eyes pleaded with me. I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Ponyboy I don't like seeing you like this, and Darry defiantly wouldn't stand for this," I pointed out.

His eyes flashed and he got up from the bed, gripping the edge for support.

"Yeah well Darry ain't here! Soda things have just changed too much. I don't need you to protect me," he told me.

"Pone, just because times change and get tough doesn't mean that you should push your family away. If anything you should keep em closer."

"Yeah well I need to learn how to fight my own battles. I'm fifteen; I'm not a little kid anymore. I need to get tough."

"Pony this isn't you."

Pony wiped a hand across his face and sighed, burring his head in his hands. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry Soda, I don't know what's gotten into me," he muttered.

I sat down next to him and rubbed his back gently.

"It's alright Pony, you're just upset," I said.

"Are you still gonna get Davy and Pete?" he asked me.

An idea popped into my head and I couldn't help but smile a bit.

"No…we're gonna get em. I'll get a couple of my roommates to help out and I'm sure Jay and Cash would love to get in on the action," I said.

Ponyboy looked up, a small grin coming to his lips. We were gonna teach those socs that they can't mess with a greaser without dealing with the whole pack.

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**So hope you liked it, sorry it was short, but I'm in a hurry. Please review, love ya guys!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey guys sorry for the long update, but I've been pretty busy with stuff. So enjoy and don't forget to review.**

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Pony's POV

I couldn't help but smile a little. Soda was a maniac, but he had the perfect way to get back at Davy and Pete. I would enjoy kicking the tar outta them.

I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around my brother's neck in a tight embrace.

"Thanks Soda," I said.

He rubbed the back of my head. "No problem baby brother. Now let's go kick some soc butt."

Just as we were getting up Jay and Cash walked in. When they saw my new bruises and cuts their eyes narrowed in snarling glares.

"Hey we were just about to kick some sorry butt, wanna join us?" Soda asked casually.

Wild grins flashed across their faces and they glanced at each other, giving sharp nods.

"Great now you go find Davy and Pete while I round up a couple more guys," Soda said, walking out of the room.

"Your brother is awesome!" Jay exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Yeah, he's one of a kind," I agreed.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go find our roommates," Cash said.

The three of us walked out of the room and down the hall. We turned the corner and ran right into Davy and Pete. They looked at me and smiled menacingly.

"Nice shiner, Greaser, where'd ya get it?" Davy taunted.

Rage built up inside of me and I lashed out, my fist connecting with his nose. There was a sickening crack and blood spurred from the socs nostrils. And with that Jay, Cash and I pounced on the two boys.

I kicked and punched wildly, hoping that I wasn't hitting Jay or Cash. I got a foot to the mouth, putting another split in my lip. There were shouts and within an instant Soda and his new pals were joining in the mix.

Six greasers against two socs, I liked the odds. After about ten minutes the six of us crawled off Davy and Pete, leaving them dazed on the floor. We went back to my room to clean up our wounds. Sure I had a few more injuries to add to the mix, but it was worth it.

"Dang Ponyboy, you look like you got in a fight with a bulldozer…you lost," Jay said.

He handed me a small mirror that he kept around and I glanced at my reflection. Wow! My face was covered in black and blue bruises; my lip was oozing blood as was my nose. I had a small cut above my left eyebrow and both my eyes were swollen, making it look like I got kicked by a cow. That was only my face; I really didn't want to see what the rest of me looked like.

Soda and his friends went back to their room and Jay, Cash and I changed into fresh clothes.

"I don't think Davy and Pete are gonna be bothering ya anymore Ponyboy," Cash said as he pulled a dark shirt over his head.

I grinned. Maybe my luck was changing. I sure hoped so.

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**Hey guys sorry it was short, but I have a tone of thing to do. I apologize if Pony was a little OOC (Out of Character) but like I have pointed out many times in the story he's changing due to his surroundings. Please review and I'll try to update faster. Also i would like to know how this should continue. You said you wanted it longer, but i'm outta ideas so please PM me if you have a suggestion.**


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